Car-coupling



UNTTED STATES PATENT Ormes.

VALENTINE PFAFF,.OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,325, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed July 5, 1895. Serial No. 555,049. (No model.)

To all whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that I, VALENTINE PFAFF, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Car Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to that class of car-couplers which are constructed to operate automatically both in coupling and in Auncoupling. a

The object of' my improvements is to provide a safe and handy attachment to the ordinary pin and link, whereby the cars can be coupled and uncoupled without handling the pin or the link, thus preventing the frequent accidents to the train-hands that result from getting in between the cars in making or breaking up a train.

With this end and object in view I have devised a novel attachment that can be applied to the ordinary draw-heads that employ the link and pin; and the same consists in the described construction and combination of pinsupporting device and operating mechanism whereby the pin is held up in position to couple and is mechanically released and caused to drop .when two draw-heads come together. 'Vith such means is combined a device for uncoupling and setting the coupling-pin in position for coupling, such device being operative from the side of the car. The said parts comprise a post fixed in the top of the drawhead, to the top of which is iixed apair of jaws or fingers forming a clamp that engages with the pin and holds it suspended when uncoupled, but when the coupling takes place these jaws are caused to expand or open and let the pin drop. When the jaws are opened,they em brace a fixed cam in front of the couplingpin7 also tapped into the draw-head, and the expansion of the jaws is obtained by a correspondin g cam xed to the opposite draw-head, the point of which enters between the jaws of this coupling when the draw-heads come together, sliding past the point of its cam, and opens the jaws to let the pin drop. A rocking shaft across the front of the cam has an extended bar and chains that connect to it each arm of the jaws and the coupling-pin, whereby the shaft, when turned, raises the pin and operates in the jaws to again embrace it.

Both of the opposed draw-heads are equipped with like parts and operate in the same manner.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete and detailed construction of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective 'view of two opposed draw-heads embodying my improved carcoupling. Fig. 2 is a vertlcal longitudinal section through the adjacent draw-heads of' two cars, showing one coupling pin in working position and the pin of the opposite coupling held by the clamps ready to be dropped. Fig. 3 is a top view of the parts of the coupling device shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4L a like view of the corresponding parts as represented at the right-hand side of Fig. 2.

Like letters and figures of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

A A represent two opposed draw-heads of ordinary construction.-

B B are the coupling-pins, which enter the hole in the draw-head and engage with the link C. The body of the draw-head back of the coupling-pin is tapped for a fixed stud or post 2, the upper end of which is threaded for a nut and ties a shoulder for the eye of the clamp or jaws 4, which are heldin position by the nut. This clamp is curved, as at 3 3, and' engages with and supports the couplingpin just below the head. The extended portion or fingers of the clamp is also bent on a curved line to the points 1 l, which stand outwardly on either side of a fixed cam 5. This part 5 is supported by a post G, also fixed in the draw-head near the front.

Across the end of the car is attached a rockshaft 7, having an arm or bar S extending therefrom at a right angle, from which depend two chains 9 9, that connect to the two arms or fingers of the clamp or jaws, as at 3X. A chain 12, also attached to the end of the bar 8, connects it with the head of the couplingpin, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The office of these chains is to draw the clamp or jaws together at the time that the rock-shaft also raises or elevates the coupling-pin, which is done by turning the rock-shaft by means of the arms or lever Vhen the arm 8 is lowered, it prevents the jaws from swinging together again until it is raised out of the way ICO by the chains or links', as shown in; right-hand View, Fig. 2, because at suoli time the broadened end of the arm 8 drops down between the two jaws 8 3 and spreads them ont. It should here be observed that each draw-head is provided with the same parts and devices,A both on the coupling and on the end of the car.

As thus constructed it will be seen that my invention, can be readily applied to all ears having the ordinary draw-heads with pin-andlink couplings and atavery small cost in making the change foreach car.

In practice two opposed drawheads provided with my device are brought together with the parts in position as shown in Fig. l, with the coupling-pin raised and held in place by the clamp or jaws and the link C in the opposed draw-head, as shown, and as the parts come together the end of the link will be earried into the chamber of the draw-head A, and the point of the ixed cam on the drawhead AX will enter the opening between the points l l of the clamp on the draw-head A and open the jaws wide enough to let the coupling-pin drop and the parts to assume the position as shown on the right hand of Fig. 2.

In the act of coupling two opposed cars the parts in one draw-head may be dropped and the parts in the other draw-head set in the position shown on the right of Fig. l. Vhen the parts are lowered, however, they can be quickly raised and set by operatin g the crank 9, which raises the bar S and raises up the pin, while the chains connected with the clamps will draw the jaws or fingers together around the pin, as shown in the right-hand side of Fig. l.

Ilavin g thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' therefrom, a crank at the sidej! chain or link ;eonnecting said ,bar with the coupling-pin,

chains or links connecting the pair of jaws with the said arm, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a car-coupler the combination with the draw-head, of a clamp or jaws pivoted to a stud or post back of the coupling-pin having curved portions or lingers adapted to engage with and support the coupling-pin and a vertically-fixed cam in front of the couplingpin to spread apart the jaws, and chains connecting with the jaws for closing them, as described.

4. The combination and arrangement as specified oi' two opposed draw-heads each provided with a clamp pivoted to a stud or post back of the coupling-pin and engaging with the same in a raised position, an upright stud or post upon each draw-head in front of the coupling-pin carrying a vertically-fixed cani which engages with the curved linger of the clamp and opens the same, in the manner specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

VALENTINE IFAFF. [n s] \Vitnesses:

(l. lV. lll. SMITH, CHAs. E, KELLY. 

